Syllabus: AQA - AS and A Level Business
Module: 3.6 Human Resource Management
Lesson: 3.6.5 Making Human Resource Decisions: Improving Employer-employee Relations

Introduction

This article explores section 3.6.5 of the AQA AS and A Level Business specification: Improving Employer-employee Relations. Aligned with the AQA syllabus and mapped to Gatsby Benchmarks 4, 5, and 6, this topic is vital for understanding how effective communication and representation within an organisation impact employee performance, motivation, and strategic success.

From a curriculum and careers perspective, it supports both academic assessment and workplace readiness, equipping students with a foundational grasp of employee relations and its implications in diverse organisational contexts.

Key Concepts

According to the AQA specification, students must understand:

• Influences on employee involvement in decision making – including organisational culture, leadership style, legal frameworks, and employee expectations.

• Employee representation methods – such as trade unions, works councils, and employee forums.

• Improving employer-employee communications and relations – including formal and informal mechanisms, consultation processes, and resolving conflict.

• The value of good employer-employee relations – for productivity, retention, reputation, and legal compliance.

These concepts connect to broader themes such as motivation (linked to 3.6.4), organisational design (3.6.3), and decision-making across the specification.

Real-World Relevance

Modern businesses increasingly recognise that positive employee relations drive performance, innovation, and organisational agility. High-profile cases underscore this:

• John Lewis Partnership famously uses a co-ownership model, involving staff in decision-making and profit sharing. It exemplifies how formal structures can enhance engagement.

• In contrast, Amazon has faced repeated criticism over working conditions and union-busting tactics, showing the reputational and operational risks of poor employee relations.

• Rolls-Royce and BT Group have both engaged with trade unions on restructuring plans, demonstrating how consultation mitigates conflict during organisational change.

These examples help students contextualise the impact of employer-employee relations on business strategy and ethical considerations.

How It’s Assessed

Students may encounter this topic through:

• Short-answer questions testing knowledge of terms like “works councils” or “employee engagement”.

• Data response questions involving scenarios about conflict resolution or union negotiations.

• Extended essays (20 markers) that require evaluative judgement, e.g., “To what extent is employee representation beneficial to business performance?”

Command words to watch for include:

• Analyse – identify reasons or causes.

• Evaluate – make a judgement with justification.

• Discuss – explore different perspectives.

Expect a focus on application, analysis, and evaluation – linking theory to business context and consequences.

Enterprise Skills Integration

This topic directly supports the development of key enterprise skills:

• Decision-Making & Problem-Solving: Students analyse how businesses handle internal conflict and evaluate the impact of different representation models.

• Workplace Readiness: Learning about employee voice and industrial relations builds confidence in navigating workplace dynamics and understanding rights and responsibilities.

• Communication: Exploring consultation and negotiation processes sharpens students’ appreciation for listening, feedback, and constructive dialogue.

Enterprise Skills simulations, for instance, allow students to role-play management teams responding to staff concerns, bringing theory to life in a risk-free, practical setting.

Careers Links

Improving employer-employee relations supports a variety of career pathways:

• Human Resource Management – understanding representation, negotiation, and engagement strategies.

• Law and Industrial Relations – knowledge of employment law and worker rights.

• Business Management – managing teams, resolving disputes, and fostering culture.

Mapped to Gatsby Benchmarks 4, 5, and 6, this topic aligns with:

• Benchmark 4: Linking curriculum to careers – e.g. HR, union reps, employment lawyers.

• Benchmark 5: Employer encounters – use case studies or guest speakers from HR departments.

• Benchmark 6: Workplace experience – simulate team meetings or consultation sessions.

Teaching Notes

Top Teaching Tips:

• Use real-life examples (e.g. John Lewis, Amazon, public sector union negotiations) to make abstract concepts tangible.

• Integrate role-play or debates to explore different stakeholder perspectives and build empathy.

• Leverage simulation tools from Enterprise Skills to assess decision-making in employee relation scenarios.

Common Pitfalls:

• Students often conflate motivation with representation – reinforce the difference between how employees feel and how they are formally involved.

• Avoid letting discussions become too theoretical – always link back to business performance outcomes.

Extension Activities:

• Compare hard vs soft HRM in relation to employee engagement.

• Debate: “Trade unions have no place in the modern workplace – Discuss.”

• Task students with designing a communication strategy for improving employee feedback in a fictional business.